The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-08-05
washington Letter.
tfrom our regular correspondent
-t 1Qo'

tFrom oar regular corTespondent.1
WAsHINGToN, AUGUST ], 1887.
Fort Myer, near Washington, an aban-
doned station of the Signal Cops, is to be
used as a L. S. Cavalry post. Two troops
of the 18th and 9TH cavalry have arrived
from Arizona and are settling in the old
barracks left vacant by the Signal Corps.
An appropriation Of s25. 600 will allow new
slaves and new barracks to lie built and
leave a sufficient sum to repair the old
buildings. The post is to be commanded
by Maj. Carpenter, of the 9TH cavalry,
with Capt. Lawton and Capt. Anderson,
of the 4th and 18th, commanding the two
companies. Fort MIyer is named for the
first chief of the Signal Corps, the late
Gen. Albert Myer, sold Probabilities"
and is beautifully situated on the Virginia
hills close to Arlington. 1t commands a
fine view of the Potomac river and the city
of Washington. With these natural adj
vantages the fort will undoubtedly become
what Gen. Sheridan desires to make it, the
show cavalry post of the army, as well as
n school for cavalry drill.
When the repairs on the aqueduct
bridge, now in process, are completed the
bridge will be opened free TO the public.
Arlington and Fort Mycr will then be to
people driving what Fort Adams is to the
people OF Newport, and if the officers at
Fort Myer can manage to have a band and
give afternoon concerts, the resemblance
will be all the more striking and pleasant.
During the absence of the President and
Mrs. Cleveland at BAL View, the vestibule
of the White House is being frescoed and
renovated. The portrait of Thomas JEFF
ferson, which for many years adorned the
space over the fireplace in the vestibule,
has been removed to the East Room and
placed in the panel to the right of the
portrait of Martha Washington. The ffes-
Goes in the vestibulc are after designs left
by Brumedi, the Italian artist, who de-
signed and executed the greater portion of
the frescocs ON the walls of the Capitol.
Strangers visiting the Capitol a few years
ago would be astonished to see on the
floor of the rotunda an old man enter a
sort Of basket chair and be slowly hoisted
to the top of the dome. This was
Brumedi, who, too old to mount to the
lone by the stairway, was daily lifted up,
and there in his lofty chair would continue
his work of painting the circle of the dome
with scenes from American history, be-
ginning with the landing of Columbus
and ending with pictures representing
some of the latest developments in science
and invention. Brumedi did not live to
complete his work on the dome, but, an
ticipating his death, he made designs in
charcoal, TO be nsed in finishing the work
begun by him. These designs have been
faithfully followed, and the arch around
the dome represents partly his work and
wholly his conception.
Appalled, at the apparent prospect Of
having to entertain a delegation from
every State in the Union. with an invita-
ton to invite Fin within its borders in
the pocket of the chairman, the President
has sent ont a mild but earnest protest
against being swooped down upon during
this melting weather, assuring the public
that their invitations to have him visit
them are just as much appreciated when
clothed in writing and will be Just as
likely accepted. In the meanwhile he
prays To be left in peace with Mrs. Cleve-
land at his country home until October,
when he starts out on his proposed tour.
If the President does not actually ask to
l.. "a i, .noan IL. .r,uIr 3aa.t1. ..,-Iu
that he desires it,.
The Secretary Of War, Mr.. Endicott,
leaves the city next Tuesday for his sum-
mer vacation. During his absence Cen
eral McTeely will act as Secretary.
At the Navy Department Secretary
Whitney is to be found busy with his &C.
cumulated mail matter. Mr.. Whitney is
known as the ''dude" member of the Cab
met, but to see him at work in his shirt
sleeves these hot days, leads one to be-
lieve that he is a man very much m~aligned.
The Signal office reports this July as the
hottest month recorded since the Organiza-
ton of the Weather Bureau in 1871. The
citizens Of Washington do not need to the
't'' W WV ''i6A"i nv wv e'ii =
that. The fact is self evident. Then, we
have all gotten warm over something else
besides the weather, and that is the ill.,
crease of the water tax. The waterworks
of the District were built by the L. s.
Government, bnt they seem to be managed
or rather mismanaged by the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia. The af-
fairs of the water tax Office are In such a
labyrinth that no one can make head nor
tail of them. The fact remains that water
takers have been taxed and re-taxed, and
assessed and rc-assessed until their
patience is exhausted, and now come the
Commissioners, the water department be-
ing in arrears, and ''makc a law" to in
crease the rates TO make good the deficien-
cy. ''The law is mandatory and admits of
no discretion, " say these Great Moguls.